Reunion of Vengeance
by longlostnite
Summary: These are the last chapters of the story. Thanks so much for the comments and hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Not making any money, not trying to make them act out of character, just wrangling a plot bunny that's been skittering around my head for a while. Comments, as always, are appreciated.**

**Reunion of Vengeance - Part 1**

Henry stood as the priest finished his prayer and gathered his jacket to leave. Another Easter, another sacrament. This would be his fifth without Vicki, his third without Tony. Sadness overwhelmed him. With Vicki as Vampire, home in Toronto and Tony moved on, even though they kept in touch, it still hurt.

He was still...empty.

He stiffened as a familiar scent invaded his senses, one that made him both leery and idiotically happy at the same time. Slow to turn, he knew what he would see.

"Hey, your worship, whatsgoin'on?" The smart ass remark didn't cover up her nervousness.

"Vicki? Is something wrong? Are you all right?"

She frowned, "Why is that the first thing out of your mouth? Can't a friend just visit a friend?"

Henry's lips set in a fine line, and he said nothing. She was no longer his child, she was a competitor, an invader in his territory, although, really, he had to force himself to think of her that way. In his heart, she was still _his_ Victoria, whether she was vampire or mortal. Vicki shifted her weight back and forth on her feet, not moving, like she was trying to decide something.

Finally, she blurted out, "All right! Yes, something's wrong! Mike's dead and I want you to help me kill the person that killed him."

"Detective Celluci is dead?"

The words came out, and he heard them, but they didn't make sense. He had expected to go to Michael's funeral in thirty or forty years, not receive the news today. It was too wrong. He had expected to have many more arguments with the mortal over what was best for Vicki and who, between the two of them, actually knew what was best. He almost missed what she said next.

"Yes. Dead. For good this time."

"This time?" He frowned, "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"Thirteen days ago, a little vampire came to challenge me. He found Mike, who was waiting for me at the loft. He took Mike by force and then he turned him. Against his will, Henry. The bastard did it to get to me. He turned him and left him at my office. I'd been out looking for him and when I came back, Mike was just outside the door, unconscious. I barely managed to get him inside before he woke up and went wild."

Vicki knew vampires weren't supposed to cry, but it didn't seem to matter. She cried anyway.

"Where is he now, Vicki?" He moved closer, afraid to hear her answer, afraid of her tears. They were making him angry.

Vicki was crying.

Vicki didn't cry.

"His ashes are scattered now. When he woke up the first night and realized what had happened, like I said, he went wild. He said he was always willing to be with me until it was his time, but never once had he wanted to become like me. _Like us._ He said it with such venom, Henry." She sniffled. "I managed to calm him down that night. I thought," she cleared her throat, "I thought I'd talked him into waiting, into learning about what he was, but when I woke up four nights ago, I found this. I don't know how he managed to get to the roof without my knowing, but he did."

She pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. Henry smoothed it out carefully since it had become a little ball, dirty and wet, but he knew Vicki wouldn't be able to tell him what it said. He cleared his throat but read to himself:

_Vicki-  
I'm sorry I have to leave you. I would have stayed with you until my bones were too brittle to risk contact, but not like this. Knowing it means we only have a year or so before the inevitable, even if we fight it, even if we control it, I couldn't stand it. I didn't choose this and I can't live with it. Good Catholic boy that I am, I ask that you pray for me. I'll wait for you on the other side of wherever it is vampires go when they die.  
I also leave you what few possessions I have and ask that you send the other letter in this envelope to my mother. My father will ask where his is, and you can tell him this. My final words to him were 'fuck you.' I couldn't care less about him.  
_  
Henry smiled at that sentence, whispering, "I know how you feel, Detective."

He finished reading.

_Just promise me you won't go after this vampire. Or if you have to go after him, go to Henry. Get him to help you. Do this as a last request from me. I know that otherwise, you'll snort and say 'fat chance'. I never told you this, Vicki, but I know that you and Fitzroy can beat the territorial thing. I know you would've been happy together._

It's why I was glad to take you back to Toronto, to separate you from him. You changed the rules when you became vampire and he was glad for it. I wish I could've found a way to be with you forever, but I just couldn't. I never had the guts to say it to you while I was alive, but I can say it now, knowing I won't have to see the look on your face when I did. I love you, Vicki. And like I said, I'll be waiting for you. I'll be on the roof. 

_Mike._

P.S. When you and Henry take out the bastard that did this to me, make sure you tell him why you did it, right before you rip out his heart.

Henry couldn't believe it, but he respected Michael Celluci now more than ever. He was a man of his convictions right to the moment he waited for the sun.

Vicki's voice was hard when it broke through his thoughts. "So. You gonna help me kill this fucker or what?"

"Vicki, you know Mike didn't really want you to do that." He took a step closer. "I promise you, it won't change what you're feeling right now. And even after your rip out your enemy's heart from his chest, it won't ease the ache in your own."

"Fine. So you're not going to help me. I need Tony's number, I need his help to get back to Toronto faster. I don't want to waste any more time."

Henry moved to grab her arm, getting a flash of very sharp, very white teeth for the effort. "I didn't say I wouldn't help you." He reached inside his jacket for his phone.

*******************

Two hours later, they paced around his apartment making small talk and Henry asked, "When did you last feed? You know how being hungry makes you cranky."

"For your information, your highness, I fed last night. Nice little diner just outside of Burnaby. You'd have liked it." He smiled and she couldn't help it, she remembered the times they'd spent in bed and the way he'd made her feel.

"I'm sure." They both turned at the same time, both scenting who was at the door. Henry had it open before Tony could even knock.

"Man! I really wish you wouldn't do that."

"My apologies. It's good to see you again, Tony, it's been a while." Henry smiled and Tony got weak in the knees, just like he always had. Most likely how he always would. To counteract it, he forced himself into the apartment, around Henry and spoke to Vicki.

"Hey, Victory. Sorry to hear about Celluci." He was surprised by the look of pain on her face, but said nothing else.

To keep Vicki from having to control her response, Henry interjected, "Thank you for coming Tony. Are you sure you can miss work and school?"

"No worries. I told them there was a death in the family and I had to go home." He held up a back pack. "I'm ready whenever you two are."

"It's almost sunrise, Vicki. Would you like to begin now or wait - "

The look on her face stopped him and he smiled a small smile, "Forgive me. I didn't think. I'm assuming there's room for two in the back of your van?"

She smiled a sincere smile for the first time that night. "Of course there's room. I traded the van in for a small r.v. and made some modifications."

"You knew I'd help you." His tone changed just a little.

She shook her head, "No, I prayed you would."

He raised an eyebrow, "Victoria Nelson prayed?"

"Yes, I prayed. And lower that eyebrow."

He grinned. God how he had missed her. What if the good detective were right? As much as it would pain him to admit it, the man probably was and that would mean Henry had been wrong. He didn't like that.

"Very well. I'll get my bag and we can get started."

Tony visibly relaxed, feeling the tension leave the room. "Cool. One of you can drive until sunrise and I'll take a nap."

"I'll drive." Vicki and Henry said together.

Henry held up palms. "It makes sense I drive until we're out of my territory."

She muttered, "I hate it when you're right."

"I know," he grinned.

"I also hate it when you grin at me like that. It makes horny."

"I know that too." He grinned even wider.

She was in front of him in a split second, grabbing his head and kissing him, careful to keep her fangs from drawing blood, but using her tongue with all her skill. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tighter against him and she could feel his erection pushing against her.

Tony discreetly left the room and the two of them locked in an embrace that was almost like combat.

Everything Henry had believed for almost 500 years about being a vampire had been chipped away for the last six years. Everything he had been taught had been shattered in less than a week by the woman now holding him in a vice grip. They should have destroyed one another five years ago and they should now. Instead, all he wanted to do what sink into her, in every way he could.

All she wanted was him, in her, drinking from her and after that she wanted to get the guy who had killed what was perhaps her last tenuous link to humanity. The last five years had been good with Mike, but she had spent them not being truly vampire, but vampire like, to make him happy.

He was gone now, and she felt both heart wrenching sadness and an anger that threatened to make her explode.

She needed Henry to keep the feelings from overwhelming her.

And he would.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Henry drove, Tony napped and Vicki sat in the passenger seat, doing her best not to rip the arms off of it. They were already far east of the city and when she looked in the side mirror, she could see the lights of Vancouver had faded.

"How the hell can Tony nap with you driving? I'm a wreck."

"You're a wreck because you're _not _driving, not because I _am._ That vaunted Nelson control thing rears its ugly head. And don't glare at me." "I'm not glaring."

The expression the silence was deafening sprang to mind.

"Fine. I'm glaring a little bit. But what do you expect? You still drive like a little old man, Henry. That hasn't changed."

"We are making excellent progress. We should be on the other side of Burnaby before sunrise." He sighed. He wasn't sure how well this was going to go, even though he was still trying to give this whole thing the benefit of the doubt. A road trip to Toronto with another vampire, even if it was Vicki, was dicey.

Over the last five years, he'd changed and they'd even had a fight about it over the phone, Vicki finally growling, "Oh, grow up!" And hanging up on him.

He'd bristled, but he had to admit she'd been right. The world he'd known, believed in, was different.

The rules were changing. Because of her. And he didn't mind, as long as it meant they could be together. As tense as this was, it was still good to know he could reach out and touch her. He inhaled her scent. And got hard all over again.

He turned to look at her to find her staring at him.

"We need to feed," they said together.

His foot pressed harder on the accelerator, vampire skills standing him in good stead and he pulled in finally at a truck stop.

Tony woke up and asked sleepily, "Is it sunrise?" Henry moved quickly and touched the young man's face, saying quietly, "Sleep." Tony pulled the covers up to his neck and did just what Henry had got out, blinking their eyes as the bright lights from inside hit them, making them water.

"God, I miss coffee," Vicki said as she inhaled the smells coming from inside, "and hamburgers."

"I miss watching you eat with such gusto," Henry said and grinned.

"I'll show you gusto mister, after I come back from the ladies room. You can even choose the meal." She smiled again, unnaturally white teeth gleaming, and his heart leapt in his chest.

He went to the far corner, away from the lights and waited.

Watched.

Another couple came in, older, perhaps middle aged and they smelled...good. He waited until he saw Vicki before he stood and they met in front of the other couple's table, then sat down.

Voices changed, grew deeper, before the man and the woman could protest. They sat while the couple ate quickly and then Henry paid for the food. When Vicki looked at him, he just shrugged and said, "It seems only fair." She smiled and teeth gleamed.

Leading them to the shadows outside, they drank and left the man and woman with pleasant memories before they sent them on their way and then moved even further back into the darkness. Sated of blood, there was still something they both wanted and they found a picnic table shrouded by the darkness. Vicki sat on the table and pulled Henry to her with her legs.

Their mouths fell on each other, both careful not to let sharp teeth break skin. His hands wound themselves first in her hair while hers pulled out his shirt and nails lightly scraped his back. Five years of holding back, making sure she didn't hurt Mike or any of her 'meals' had been frustrating and now, with Henry, she could finally let go. She could be the person she'd come to realize she should be.

Taking one hand out of her hair to unbutton her blouse, he pushed the material aside, taking a breast and palming the nipple. He heard her moan and smiled in her mouth, while she moved her hands down to unbuckle then unzip and grab his stiff cock in her hand. It was his turn to groan as she moved up and down, grabbing and squeezing his balls on the downstroke.

He pulled away from her mouth, licking her lips and whispered, "I have to taste you. I've missed that." With that, he grabbed the waist of her jeans and pulled and when he saw the white silk shining, his mouth descended and he flattened his tongue against the material. Chuckling as he heard her groan again, his teeth tore through the silk until his tongue made contact with her skin.

He felt her contract around him, heard her whisper, "More," and was glad to oblige. His tongue played with her, his mouth sealing them together and she buried her hands in the wavy red gold hair she had loved when she was mortal. Fangs scraped and she felt it begin, the way it used to be, only more intense.

Just as she started to come, he moved back up and drove into her with a force that would have killed her, were she still human. The memory of her first year as vampire flooded back and she pulled him closer to meet his thrusts as she heard him growl deep in his throat. It sent a chill up her spine and she started the climb again, his mouth barely capturing her scream before it reached the night air.

The ferocity of his thrust pushed them further onto the table, the love that they were half afraid was gone forever, came roaring back. For what seemed like no time, but then again, forever, they rocked back and forth, until the last thrust that sent them over the edge made them both growl with satisfaction.

He kept moving, slowing down with each movement in and out until finally they stilled. He moved away from her mouth just as she turned her head, baring her throat to him.

Henry was stunned. It was the ultimate in submission and something he'd believed he'd never see from her, either as mortal or vampire. Just before he struck, he licked her neck and whispered, "Are you sure?"

In response, she said nothing but pushed closer to his fangs. He sank them into her neck while still inside her and the bliss he felt was beyond what he'd hoped for with her.

It was what he'd mourned and now for the first time in six years, he felt...whole.


	3. Chapter 3

The RV pulled into the mall parking lot and they all piled out, looking around. Tony perked up as he saw a sign and squealed, "Cool! Vintage comic books! That's where I'll be. Later." He took off at a slow trot and Vicki and Henry watched him until he got to the front door. Smiling at each other, Vicki said, "If for nothing else, I owe you for taking care of Tony. He's become a good guy and a lot of it is thanks to you."Henry reached up and pushed a strand of hair away from her face. "I owe you too, for bringing him to me." He twined the strand around his finger, "You saved my life that night. I knew then we'd be something special together."

Vicki dropped her eyes and said, "Enough mushy stuff, ok? Let's go get me some new clothes."

"Mortal or vampire, you just can't do the emotional display , can you?"

"I try my best not to. Now come on, that store looks promising." She started walking, and Henry caught up to her, almost reaching for her hand, then deciding not to. Things were changing, but they were changing slowly, and he could away the tears as they entered, Vicki headed straight to the sports wear department, grabbing a half dozen pair of jeans, some cargo pants and tops off the rack, and headed to the dressing room.

He called after her, "I'll be right back, I just want to pick up a couple of things."

She waved over her shoulder and he heard her say, "No dresses." Henry grinned and moved away.

By the time Vicki was on the fourth pair of jeans, she'd begun to wonder where he was, but just as she was about to reach out her senses to find him, she heard Zelda, the large African Canadian woman who'd shown her to her dressing room say, "No men are allowed back here, sir. It's the WOMEN's dressing room."

Henry smiled, his teeth showing and his eyes going black, "You will not remember me going in there. As far as you're concerned, the lady went in alone and remained alone." Zelda stepped aside and Henry followed Vicki's scent to the last dressing room on the right. "May I come in?"

"Henry, I'm just trying on pants." Her voice shook a little as she felt the heat began to build.

"I know." His voice dropped, "May I come in?" She felt the heat rise in the pit of her stomach and spread out through her body.

Hand shaking just a hair, she flipped the latch up, pushed the door open and said, "Sure. But no funny stuff. We're here on business."

"Whatever you say, milady. I found these," He held up some pants and tops. She started to bark at him that she could find her own damn clothes, but he looked at her then, no longer the 400 plus year old vampire, but once again the 17 year old boy, wanting to please, so she took the clothes from him and hung them on a hook and ended up saying simply, "Thank you, Henry."

Modesty had never been her strong suit and she stripped out of the pants she'd been trying on and picked up a pair that he'd brought her, pulling them on. They fit her perfectly, better than anything she'd chosen. "You were right. These are better." Vicki wouldn't look him in the eye, but he knew how hard it was for her and instead of sticking the needle in a little, he moved in behind her, putting his hands on her hips and nuzzling her neck.

"Henry, there are security cameras all over the place in here."

She could feel him smile, "There were. I made a little side trip to the security office. They thought it was a great idea to turn off the cameras until we leave." His hands moved inside the dark linen cargo pants she'd put on. "And while I like these pants, I think they'll fare much better off of you for now." With the word now, his fingers slid through her downy hair and while his index and ring finger pushed back her folds, his middle finger plunged inside, rubbing just where he knew would drive her craziest the fastest.

"God, you are a dirty old man," she moaned as she leaned back, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know, but it's all your fault. I inhale your scent and I feel like I need my hands on you." He nipped at her neck, "Or in you, as the case may be." His other hand palmed her breast, and his tongue came out to soothe where he'd grazed her skin. She looked in the mirror, watching what he was doing to her, watching herself respond. A small part of her still wanted to reach around an attack him, but for the most part, she just wanted him to keep doing what he was doing. He pushed her forward, placing her hands on the mirror while she kicked off the linen pants. He caught them and threw them on the bench unbuttoning his own shirt and opening his pants.

When he was back behind her, he licked, starting between her shoulder blades and back up to her neck while she reached around between them and grabbed his cock. "Vicki!"

"I've told you before, Henry, it's not detachable. Besides, I thought you liked it a little rough." His eyes went black and he pulled his fingers from inside her, moving around to her cheeks, using her own moisture to prepare her for him, easing first one finger, then two, then three inside, stretching her, rubbing inside.

He growled low in his throat when she moaned and could scent her start to come, but withdrew his fingers, purring into her ear, "Not yet."

"Damn it Henry, you need to finish what you started," she panted.

"I will. If you do one thing for me, Victoria." His fingers played just away from where she wanted them to be, barely touching her skin, but biting down on her ear lobe. "Just one little thing."

He moved his wrist closer to her mouth so she could smell the groaned again, "Fine! Damn it, what? What do you want?" She convulsed as his fingers continued to rub.

"Wear the dress I bought for you. Just once. After we kill the upstart vampire and drink him dry, you'll wear the dress for me." He ground his erection between her cheeks. "Just for me." His fingers moved closer to her clit. "You don't have to wear it in public, or let me take you dancing in it, just wear it for me." His fingers pushed inside her again. "Then let me take it off of you." He licked the ear he'd just bitten, "Just nod if you agree."

She swallowed, her throat moving convulsively, but finally she growled louder and while his fingers rubbed her clit roughly, he took her from behind, pushing past the entrance he'd just stretched. It burned, but Vicki scarcely noticed, her body was so on fire from his touches, the nips, the licks burning a trail on her skin.

He held his wrist to her mouth, smiled with pride as her fangs descended and saw her eyes shining silver in her reflection, whispering into her ear, "Drink, love."

As her fangs sank into his wrist, he hissed and pushed further into her, pumping faster and faster until the growl that tore from his throat filled the tiny room. He felt himself empty into her, felt her come against his hand, against his wrist. It lasted for what seemed like forever and slowly, they began to , he withdrew his wrist and she licked where she had bitten him, licking her lips free of his blood.

He pulled out from her, kissing her on the shoulder and said, "Remember your promise," picking up all the clothes after he readjusted his own and said, "Are you ready to go? We have new clothes for you and I promise not to rip them off. At least until we get back to Toronto."

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Toronto:

Two days later, they woke to the sound of Tony singing quietly, "Be it ever so humble" and they both smiled.

Climbing out of their beds, they joined him as he began to pull over to the side of the road. Becoming serious, he turned to them and said, "We're almost there. Any idea of what the plan is here, or are we just going to go hunting?"

Henry spoke first, "There is no 'we' for this Tony, it's far too dangerous for you to be involved. We need to get you someplace safe until this is over. We'll go to my condo, we can stay there, since I doubt he'd think to look there. After we get settled, Vicki and I will go hunting."

He stopped talking when he realized Vicki was looking at him with raised eyebrows. "Yes? Did you wish to add something?"

"Well, yes I did, your highness. We're not in Vancouver anymore. We're in Toronto and this is my territory, so I have a say in how we handle this."

"Very well. How would _you_ like to handle it?"

"I think we should go to the condo, get Tony settled and go hunting."

He smiled at her, "But of course. Why didn't I think of that?"

She muttered while climbing into the driver's seat, "Nobody like a smartass vampire, Henry."

He whispered into her ear, "Then you must be amazingly unpopular." He got an elbow to his ribcage for that and settled himself into the passenger seat. "Do you remember how to get there?"

Vicki was thankful she didn't blush, but she knew he could hear her breath catch and the blood in her veins move faster. She didn't want to tell him that since she'd been back, she'd regularly ridden by his building over the last five years, often with such an overwhelming ache in her heart she'd had to pull over.

Instead she just said quietly, "I remember." Instead, she just put the r.v. in gear and pulled back out on the interstate. Twenty minutes later, they were pulling into the garage of Henry's old building.

Unloading and heading upstairs, they were all quiet, the last few days of traveling forgotten in the thoughts of the task ahead. Tony called dibs on the first shower and while he was in the bathroom, Vicki and Henry unpacked.

Three bedrooms, furniture covered by sheets, were opened up and beds made. When Tony was finished, Vicki went next and Henry pulled sheets off the rest of the furniture. He was caught up in nostalgia, remembering the year he and Vicki had had together before the fateful night in Kingston took it all away.

He'd been back since then, even though he'd never told Vicki. He'd watched her, careful to stay out of range of her senses, and watched her with Celluci. It took all his control to not go to Mike and rage against him, the word _mine_ whirling through his brain, doing battle with the territorial instinct that was slowly but surely fading away.

Instead, he'd always slipped quietly out of the city, back to Vancouver and back to the life of loneliness he'd lived before he had met her, even with Tony living with him.

He told Vicki more than once during her training that the only way to survive was to not hold on to the past. If you were going to live, you had to live in the now, not think about what was or what could have been. If only he could have done that himself.

"Henry!" He was snapped back to the present by the tone in Vicki's voice and turned towards her, snarling, "What?"

She returned the snarl and her eyes glittered silver, standing there in her bathrobe. Getting an iron grip on her emotions she said, "It's your turn in the shower. While you're getting dressed, I'm going to make a few calls and see if I can't get some leads on where the bastard is tonight. With any luck, we can take get a bead on him and track his movements."

"Of course. I'll be ready to go shortly." With that, he left the room. Vicki started dialing numbers, checking with sources she'd cultivated over the last five years. When she was done, she looked up to see Tony staring at her.

"Did you know he came back here a few times after you did? I drove him. He just wanted to see you, see that you were ok. We'd stay a couple of days then head back to Vancouver. I asked him once if he wanted to talk to you, but he always said no."

"I didn't know, but it was probably best. I didn't have much control in the beginning and I probably couldn't have controlled myself around him."

"Yeah, but now look. You and Henry have been great the last few days. It might not be as hard to control yourself as you thought."

"_I _can control myself." She sighed, "And so can Henry." She reached for her phone again. "Now, we've got work to do. You might want to get some sleep tonight, in case we need your help tomorrow."

"Yeah. While you're doing that, I'm going to go get something to eat and while I'm out, I'll check with a few of my old friends, see if they know anything. I could go by your loft, get you some of your stuff if you want."

"No!" Tony jumped when she and Henry said no together. He'd had come out of the bedroom, dressed and ready to go.

She walked over and cupped his face. "Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you, but for all we know, the son of a bitch is living in my loft, and I won't risk your life. It's way to dangerous. Maybe after we've scoped things out, ok?"

"Fine. I was just offering. But if I'm not going there, when I come back, I'm going to bed. Cross country road trips are tough and I'm not as young as I used to be."

Henry and Vicki looked at one another, trying very hard not to laugh out loud at the statement. Tony had to be all of 23 now and the talk of not being as young as he used to be struck the nearly 500 year old vampire as close to hysterically funny as he ever got.

"Very well, Tony. You go out and get something to eat, but come back here straightaway. Vicki and I are going hunting, but we'll be back before dawn, of course. If we find any leads, or if we find this upstart, we could be back sooner, to make plans."

He moved to cup Tony's face, much as Vicki had a moment before, "Be careful and stay alert. We don't know that he knows who you are, but I," he looked at Vicki, "_We_ do not wish to have to avenge you as well."

"You're kinda scaring me, Henry. But I know why. And yeah, I'll be careful. I'll just go get something to eat and come right back here."

"Good. We'll be back soon." He turned to Vicki and said, "Shall we go hunting?"

She nodded, "Yes, we shall." She turned to Tony, "You be careful and don't piddle around. Get back here asap, ok?"

Tony grinned at them, "Yes, mom, yes, dad, I will. You two better get going, if you plan on covering any ground."

They left together and began their separate hunts.

Tony for food, Henry and Vicki for the killer of Michael Celluci.

They split up, Tony heading straight for Chow's, his all time favorite Chinese food restaurant in Toronto while Henry and Vicki made a beeline for the goth club, Nitro. Vicki's sources had said that while he wasn't living in Vicki's loft, he was close by. She wanted to check in with her source once more before they actually went after him.

As they walked into Nitro, Henry could hear her muttering under her breath, "I'm going to rip off his arms, the left one first, and beat him with it. Then I'm going to rip off his leg and ram that down his throat. Then I'm going to shove my fist into his chest and rip out his beating heart. The last thing he's going to hear is that Michael Celluci sends his regards." He took a deep breath, knowing what was about to happen when he took her arm, and it did. Vicki yanked it out of his grip and shiny ivory fangs descended as she growled low in her throat. He growled back, becoming what he'd been for eighteen months.

The voice of reason.

"Vicki, are you going to do this in full view of witnesses if he's here? Shall we just climb on the stage, announce that we're vampires and there's about to be a bloodletting as they've never seen before? While some will think it's a joke, there are others who will most likely not and then what? Are you prepared to explain to the police what you're doing? And why? Do we even know if he's here?"

Vicki froze, staring at him, her eyes shining like silver beacons. His voice, the voice of a teacher who made her calm when all she wanted was to drink, reached through the haze of hate that clouded her vision.

Henry continued, "Believe me, when we find him, I will help you rend him limb from limb. In spite of our obvious differences, Detective Celluci and I had one very important thing in common." He reached up, pushing her hair away from her face. "Before the last time you were in Vancouver, he and I had a talk and we acknowledged each other's love for you, and believe it or not, mutual respect." He shook his head, "I may not have been here for the last five years, but I'm here now and I'll help you. I swear it, but I'll not risk either of our lives to public scrutiny."

Her breathing regulated and he could feel her calm down bit by bit.

"Fine. The person we're looking for is in the back room." She kept moving, knowing Henry was right behind her, until they reached a little blue door. Knocking quietly, she moved inside, and walked towards the young woman who had been sitting at the table.

"Coreen. How are you?"

"Vicki. Still pale I see."

"Still wear too much eyeliner, I see." Coreen grinned then and Henry finally remembered her scent and her. The case that had brought them together, the murder of Ian Reddick. This was his girlfriend.

"So, you did manage to get back here in one piece with him."

"Yeah, and it actually wasn't that bad."

"The R.V. idea worked out?"

"Yeah, pretty good. Tony came back with us and we're staying at Henry's condo. Something I think you should do too. By now, this guy knows you've been spying on him and it won't be safe for you at your place."

She grinned, "You think so? I'll be stalked by a vampire? Cool!"

"Not cool. He won't just stalk you, Coreen. He'll torture you before he turns you and then, life as you know it will be over."

"I wouldn't mind being a vampire, Vicki."

Vicki reached out with her hands, brushing back the hair that was dyed jet black with streaks of purple. "Yes, you would, Coreen. It's hard to look at people and not think of them as prey, and let's face it, in spite of all the black clothes and the eyeliner, you've got a heart softer than a marshmallow. So what say we just not let him kill or torture or turn you. Henry and I will handle him, and you'll have stories to tell for your book."

Henry stepped forward, "How are you Coreen? It's been a long time."

Coreen grinned at him, "You're wondering how come I didn't stay vamped, aren't you?"

He frowned, "The thought crossed my mind, yes."

"I don't think it was your fault. I started having nightmares about that night and I went to Vicki for answers. I didn't know you'd turned her, but I did badger her until she finally gave in."

Henry's eyebrow rose, "You did?"

Vicki looked at him, "Don't give me that eyebrow, you have no idea how annoying it is to be trailed by a Goth all the time, asking questions and bugging the shit out of you."

His expression didn't change.

"What?! You might have the patience of St. Michael, but I don't. I couldn't take it anymore. Besides, I needed an assistant who could walk around during the day and blend in." She eyed Coreen's get up. "More or less."

"So, you want to know what I know about this guy? I've been checking around."

"Yes, please, Coreen. I need all the intel I can get, so I," she felt Henry's eyes boring into her back, "so _we_ can take this guy out and make Toronto once again safe for regular demons and devils."

"Okay, here's the 411. His name is John Hurst. Word has it he's only about ten years into being a vampire and he's from Montreal. Word _also_ has it that he was run out of Montreal by an older, more experienced vampire who didn't appreciate him hunting in his territory. He came here thinking there was no vampire, since he'd found out Henry had moved to Vancouver. Apparently he didn't know about you until after he'd already moved." She stopped to take a sip of the water on the table. "After he found out Toronto already had a vampire, he decided he wasn't moving again and started tracking your movements."

Vicki looked at Henry. "I'd been feeling like I was being watched for a couple of weeks before I knew he was around, that's when I went to Coreen. She gave me the basics and I started tracking him. I'd been out looking for him when I got home that night and found Mike. You know the rest."

She felt the anger and tears welling up all over again, thinking about finding Mike on her doorstep, wounds on his neck healing, feeling the thirst for blood growing in him.

Henry said, "I don't understand why he didn't kill Mike outright. That's what most of our kind would do. Take out the people you care about, your support system. Remove the people you rely on."

"Mike didn't understand it either, but I'm not sure he was very rational those first couple of days. It's what either of us would do, but I'm beginning to think this guy isn't entirely sane." She looked at Coreen, "Where's he living now?"

"Uh, you're not going to like it."

"He's in Toronto and I don't like it. Where is he, Coreen?"

"He bought the building you live in. Apparently he was a real estate developer in his mortal life. According to my friend Jennie, he's moved into the flat above yours, taken over the whole floor."

"Like I didn't have enough of a reason to kill him. Now I've got even more." She turned to Henry. "We need to ride by the loft, then start making plans and I want to check on Tony too." Vicki looked at Coreen, pulling out a business card from her back pocket. "Go home Coreen, pack for a couple of days, then come to this address." Looking back at Henry she asked, "You don't mind do you?"

Eyebrow raised, he asked, "Would it matter if I did?"

She smiled at him, "A little."

Henry walked to Coreen, helping her out of her chair, "Vicki's right, it's too dangerous for you to be alone until we handle this little problem. Please, join our merry little band. Instead of going to your apartment by yourself though, I think we should take you with us."

"Cool!" Coreen grabbed her purse and jacket and they made their way out of the club, heading to Henry's car. "Jaguar! Love it!"

"I always meant to ask why you left the car here, why you didn't get rid of the condo." Vicki's stare at him made him uncomfortable because he felt as if she could read his mind. Instead of telling her that he'd been back to check on her, he simply said, "One never knows what the future will bring. It's always best to be prepared."

"Of course." Coreen gave Henry her address and fifteen minutes later, they were pulling up in front of a building that reminded him of 1800's row houses on the west side of London.

Twenty minutes after that, they were on the way back to the condo, parking in the garage again and heading up the elevator, Coreen standing between them.

As they got off, Henry's phone rang. He looked at the caller I.D. and recognized Tony's number, answering it, "Tony, we're almost home."

"That's good, Fitzroy. Then you'll be waiting there for me tomorrow night when we all wake up."

A snarl tore from Henry's throat. "Where's Tony?"

"He's safe for the time being. He won't be though, if you and the bitch don't meet me tomorrow night."

"If I have to put one band aid on him, I'll rip out your tongue and choke you with it."

"Now, now. Is that any way to talk to the person who could kill your little friend with no effort whatsoever? I heard the two of you were coming for me, so it would have been foolish not to be prepared, now wouldn't it? You have two choices Fitzroy. Hand over the bitch to me and leave us alone. I'll let you leave Toronto with your little boyfriend and we'll forget we ever met. Or I'll kill him now and come for you tomorrow."

Vicki snatched the phone from Henry's hand. "You hurt him, and you'll die lying on a roof top, your arms and legs missing, screaming in agony when the sun comes up, so don't bother, you fucker. We'll be coming for you." She handed the phone back to Henry and stomped off towards the condo, Coreen following close behind.

Henry put the phone back up to his ear. "You kill Tony, you lose the only bargaining chip you have, Hurst. And to reiterate what Vicki said, you will die, and die screaming in agony. You don't hurt him, you still have room to negotiate. Call tomorrow when you rise. We'll be here." He hung up and was in the condo before the phone clicked off, heading straight for Vicki, fangs bared, eyes the color of night.

Stopping just short of her, doing his best not to grab her by the throat, he raged, "How dare you! Tony is mine and you are not to interfere!"

Vicki's eyes were silver, her own fangs gleaming dangerously in the low light. "How dare I?! Are you forgetting I'm the one who brought you in? Are you forgetting why we're here to begin with, Henry? This guy as good as killed Mike and now he's got Tony! You think I'm going to step off? Think again! Tony was mine before he was yours, so. No. Fucking. Way."

The tension in the room had a stranglehold on all three of them until Coreen finally spoke. "Chill! We have bigger problems than the two of you fighting over who belongs to who!" She put her hands on her hips. "We'll know where he is when we activate the GPS on the phone, right? There's still a couple of hours before dawn, so what do you say you put the fangs and machismo away and we go get the guy?"

The two vampires turned and looked at the skinny mortal, fangs still bared, but interestingly, it was the younger vampire who spoke first, "She's right. We can fight later, right now the important thing is to get Tony back before Hurst does anything to him." She turned to Coreen, "You've been watching him. Has he seemed impulsive to you? Do you think he'll do anything to Tony right away? Do you have anything we can use against him?"

"I don't know, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I say we activate the GPS and go get the kid."

Vicki smiled at that, since she knew Coreen was almost Tony's age and she had no real knowledge of what Tony had been before he hooked up with her and Henry. In spite of the Goth look, and the things she'd seen, she still had a bit of the naiveté about her, but she had mad skills with a computer. Taking the phone from Henry, she made a note of the number, then pulled out her own phone and dialed a number. "Hi! I've lost my phone and I need you to activate the GPS please." She gave them the code she'd pulled off the phone and hung up a minute later, saying, "Thank you! I'm going to go get it right now."

After she clicked the phone shut, she went and sat down at the laptop, logging on and going fishing.

Ten minutes later, she said, "Well, I gotta give him credit for nerve."

Vicki and Henry stood in front of her, staring. "He's across the street. Fifth floor. When we get off the elevator, we turn right. Third apartment down on the right."

Vicki said, "No. No we. You stay here."

"No way! I'll be careful and while the two of you are getting him, I'll grab Tony and get him out of there."

"Vicki, she's right. If we're there, he'll pretty much ignore her, he won't see her as a threat. While we're taking care of him, she can get herself and Tony to safety."

"I don't like it. I don't like the idea of Coreen anywhere near him."

"And I don't like Tony being held by him, when he's already killed Michael, but our options are limited."

Vicki started to pace, thinking. The cop in her was weighing pros and cons and the best way to tackle this thing. Henry paced as well. He'd been taught battle strategy as a child, and even if it had been a while, they were lessons that had stood him in good stead through the years.

"We need a two pronged approach," he said.

"I agree," she looked at Coreen, "Can you hack into the building specs? Find us two ways in? Maybe even three? Are there security cameras we need to disable? Alarms? A doorman?"

"Greg has said in the past he's friendly with other doormen, Vicki." Henry said. "I wonder if perhaps he could chat up the doorman across the street."

"Can't hurt to ask." She grinned, "But you'd better do it. Every time he sees me, he turns beet red."

"That's because you showed up at the door almost naked. He's old, and that disturbed him."

"Hey, it saved you from being staked with a table leg."

"True. And believe me, I'm grateful." He smiled then, the smile that had captured her heart that first night and memories flooded back.

Coreen yelped, "Got it!" She looked up, "This was probably not the best place for him to go to. There's four entrances, and only two security cameras, one at the front door, one at the back. No cameras on the roof or on any side of the building. You two could get to the roof and climb down the side of the building into a hallway. While Greg's chatting up the doorman, I could sneak past and head up the stairs, wait there until I get the word from you two."

The two vampires stared at her, silently impressed.

"What? Just because I wear a lot of eyeliner doesn't mean I don't have a brain."

Henry looked at Vicki, "Well, it sounds like we've got a bit of a plan now. I think we should change into our burglar clothes, if that's agreeable to you?"

"Sounds like a plan."

As the clock struck two a.m., Henry entered the lobby to find Greg reading the sports page. Football season was in full swing and he'd followed the game since he was a kid, and even though he though footballers were way over paid, he still loved the game.

"Good evening, Greg. Do you have a moment?"

Greg jumped up. "Mr. Fitzroy! I had no idea you were back in town! It's good to see you sir! What can I do for you?"

"It's good to be back for a visit, Greg. I need to ask a favor of you, if you have a moment?"

"Of course, anything I can do."

Henry's eyes turned to coal, his voice deepened and he spoke. "In ten minutes, I need you to go across the street, and distract the door man at that building. He will need to be distracted for at least twenty minutes. When that twenty minutes is over, you will return here, take your station, and remember only that you felt the need to chat with a fellow door man. You will continue to read your paper and no matter what you see or hear, you will remain calm. If you feel you are in any danger, you will call my cel phone and tell me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, I understand."

"Good. Check your watch. The ten minutes starts now." With that Henry moved back towards the elevator, Greg checked his watch and picked up his paper.

Henry went only to the second floor, and got off, turning right and heading for the stair well. Vicki and Coreen were waiting, Coreen leaning again the concrete block wall, Vicki pacing impatiently. "Well," she said, "is he ready?"

"He's ready." He handed Coreen the keys to his car, "He might be watching, so you take the car and drive down the street. If you see him, don't stop. If you have to, run over him. Just get out of his line of sight. The more I think about it, the more I think he chose across the street for a reason. He knew I still had the condo here and while he might be full of himself, it would appear he's no fool."

"Well, he did buy several properties here, chances are he's been setting up different places in case I came back. Probably been moving from one spot to the next, keeping an eye on the places he knew I might be at around the city." Vicki shook her head, "I can't believe I didn't sense him earlier. I _should_ have sensed him earlier. If I had, Mike would still be alive." She kicked the wall with her boot, gouging out a piece of it and just watching it fall to the floor.

Henry stood in front of her, risking putting his hands on her arms. "No, he wouldn't, Vicki. This guy was determined to get rid of you any way possible. Even if you had known about him earlier, it still would've happened." The voice of reason, the voice of her lover, her teacher, reached her. She looked in his eyes as he spoke again, "So, what do you say we, as you would put it, go take this motherfucker out. I have dibs on his left arm."

Vicki cackled, "Fine, but I get his other arm and his heart."

He smiled, "Very well." He turned to Coreen, "Ready?"

She smiled a small smile and said, "Yes."

"Good. Leave now. We'll head out the side door when you get to the car." He stopped her just before she opened the door, voice deepening, "It will work Coreen, you must remain calm."

"I'm good. See you in a few."

Turning once more to Vicki, he said, "Well, love, are you prepared?"

"If you mean am I ready to tear him apart, I'm good to go."

"We make sure Tony's safe first though, yes?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Don't worry, Henry. Vengeance is a priority, but I won't let anything happen to Tony." She reached and put her palm on his face, "He means a lot to me too, you know."

Henry smiled quietly, "I know. Now it's time to get him back."

Ch 9

Coreen made a big show of pulling out of the garage, stopping at the entrance to make sure that, if he was watching, Hurst saw her leaving. She saw Greg head across the street waving to his fellow doorman and striking up a conversation. _So far, so good _she thought. She also thought she saw two dark streaks crossing the street, but shook her head. "I'm just seeing it because it's what I want to see," she whispered, and pulled out into traffic, heading around the block. Once there, she pulled into a parking space and powered up the computer, putting her ear piece in, she dialed a number and waited for them to pick up.

Without preamble, she heard Vicki say, "Are you safe around the corner?"

"Yes, mother, I am. Are you there yet?"

"We're on the roof now, heading down the fire escape. Greg's got the other doorman occupied, you can come in now."

"On the way."

"Be careful, Coreen."

"Yes ma'am." She hung up, shoved the laptop in her bag and got out of the car, locking it and putting the keys in her pocket. Adrenalin pumping, she moved quickly down the side walk, hidden by the shadows, until she got to Hurst's building, slipping past the doormen chatting about absolutely nothing. Still in the shadows, she slipped into the stair well, heading up to the fifth floor to wait for Henry and Vicki. Sitting down on the stair case, she opened the laptop again, hacking into the building's automatic lighting system and shutting down exterior building lights and dimming the hall and stairwell ones.

Two minutes later, her phone rang and she heard Vicki say, "Coreen, get in here, you need to take Tony to the emergency room!" She jumped up, grabbing the laptop and heading to where she knew they were.

The door hung off one of its hinges and she heard movement inside. Henry and Vicki were kneeling next to Tony, holding a towel to his throat and Coreen gasped and turned even whiter than her makeup. There wasn't much blood on Tony, but Henry and Vicki were another matter. Both of their mouths were bloody, as were their hands and parts of their clothing.

"Is he…." she couldn't finish the sentence. "Where's Hurst?" She felt her dinner trying to make its way up and forced herself to focus.

Vicki stood and spoke in a monotone. "He's in the kitchen. And the bedroom. But fortunately, he's still alive. Tony's going to be fine, the son of a bitch tried to kill him just as Henry came in the door and I came in the window, but he didn't get far. This is really just a scratch, but it's better to be safe than sorry. He's been drugged, probably to keep him quiet. Give me a minute to clean up and we'll get him downstairs."

"Oh. Okay." Coreen didn't know what to say, so she just took Vicki's place while she stood and left the room. It wasn't until she was on the floor that she could hear Henry speaking quietly to Tony.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I never should have allowed this, for you to come. I'm sorry I let you go out on your own when I knew he was close by. I'm so sorry."

Tony was trying to talk, the words slurred, but understandable. "Not your fault, Henry. Or Victory's. I didn't listen, I went to her loft. That's where he got me. I'm the one who's sorry, I really fucked things up."

"No, no you didn't. You shouldn't have gone to Vicki's but that doesn't mean you deserved to be captured by him. Did he hurt you, other than this?"

"No, he just taped me to the chair and shot me full of drugs." Tony's hand reached up to try to grab Henry's forearm. "He knew you'd figure out where he was. He knew you'd be with Victory. I don't know how."

Henry shook his head, curls moving in the light. "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. What matters is you're safe, and he's about to see his last sunrise. Just rest and Coreen and Vicki will get you to the car, all right?" He looked at Coreen, "Go get the car, Coreen and pull it to the front. When you're done, Vicki and I will clean up here."

Coreen opened her mouth to speak, but the words were having a hard time coming out. Finally, she pushed them out, "What about Hurst? What are you going to do with him and his, uh, 'parts'?'

"Don't worry about that, Coreen, just get Tony to the hospital and checked out, all right?" Coreen finally acknowledged the moans she'd been hearing since she walked into the trashed apartment and looked at Henry, lips quivering, "That's him isn't it, making those noises?"

"Yes, it is." He could feel her start to unravel and his voice dropped, "It's all right, Coreen. Tony will be fine as soon as you get him the hospital. Victoria and I will take care of things here, but you have to remain calm and take of Tony for a bit, do you understand?"

She nodded, "I get it, I'll take care of him, I promise."

He reached up to push her hair away, but stopped when he saw the blood on his hand. Dropping it back down, he simply said, "I know you will." His head raised and he looked at Vicki as she came back into the room, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. I found some trash bags in the kitchen. We can get started once I get Tony downstairs."

"Very well. I'll begin while you're gone."

"Okay." She bent down and picked up Tony as easily as she would have picked up a puppy, holding him in her arms, Coreen leading the way. She went ahead, ran down the street to get the car and by the time Vicki had reached the lobby, she had pulled up in front. Placing Tony in the front seat, she told Coreen, "Call me when you get there, okay?" She was about to close the door when Tony's hand came up and stopped her. "I'm sorry I fucked up, Victory. I didn't listen."

"Not a problem Tony. But next time you listen, okay? I can't lose you too."

"You won't. And just before you leave him on the roof, tell him I send my best wishes for an eternity in hell, too, please."

"Done. Now shut up and let Coreen get you to a doctor." She pushed a long piece of brown hair off of his forehead. "We'll see you tomorrow night, first thing."

She closed the door and told Coreen, "Go. Now." When Coreen had pulled away from the curb, she walked back in and unvamped the doorman, telling him all was well and he could go back to what he was doing, knowing that everything was fine. When she got off the elevator on the fifth floor, she was back inside, closing the door as best she could in a heartbeat and went to Henry. He was in the bedroom, leaning against the wall, staring at Hurst while the other vampire lay on the blood soaked comforter, missing his right arm at the shoulder, his left arm hanging limply, broken in several places.

Henry barely turned when she walked in. "Are you ready?" His voice was low and calm and she knew what he meant.

"I'm ready."

10

They stood together, looking at Hurst as he lay there helpless. His breath was coming in shallow gasps now and he tried to speak. "You think you won? That your little fag friend and that Goth chick are going to be fine? You haven't."

Vicki snorted, "And what are you going to do, sew your leg and your arm back on, or just the leg and chase us around with your arm?" She took a step closer, "I told you what I'd do. This could have been avoided, but you wouldn't negotiate, wouldn't deal. I'd think a big time businessman like you would've done that."

Henry continued, "You should never have touched one of…" he looked at Vicki, "ours. Detective Celluci was a good man, an honorable man, and you made him into someone he didn't want to be. Vicki's right, you should have been willing to deal. Toronto's a big city. Now you'll die, just as we told you that you would. Poor choice, Mr. Hurst." They moved to the bed and Hurst started to whimper.

"Fine! Fine! Let me go and I'll leave Toronto, I won't go near Vancouver, you'll never see me again." Henry left the room, returning quickly with large heavy duty trash bags, obviously full of something.

"These bags contain your arm and your leg, Mr. Hurst. They'll go with you to the roof, where you'll wait for the sun."

"I have money! You can have it all, if you'll just let me go!"

Vickie sneered at him, "If you had the last nickel I'd ever see, it wouldn't save you." Henry handed the bags to Vicki, walked over to Hurst and tore off a strip of duct tape he'd carried in is pocket. He placed it over the other man's mouth. "Can't have the villagers looking for you, now can we?" With that, he wrapped the comforter around him and followed Vicki out to the stairwell. It had been locked before, but now it opened easily to his touch. He laid down the vampire almost gently, while Vicki took out his appendages and lay them down close by. When she was done, she knelt at Hurst's side.

"You should not have taken Celluci, Hurst. I made a promise to him and soon it will be kept. He did want me to tell you that he'd be waiting on the other side for you. I don't imagine it will be a pleasant meeting."

Strapped down, unable to move, Hurst began to whimper again, begging quietly for his life.

Vicki and Henry didn't listen as they made their way down the stairs, heading straight to the hospital and Tony.

She asked him, "How long til sunrise?"

"Still time. At least three hours."

"Good. He'll spend the next three hours knowing he's going to die and knowing why." Vickie looked at him and said quietly, "You were right. There's still an emptiness."

Henry reached for her hand, twining his fingers in hers.

"I know."

Chapter 11

Henry woke with a snarl poised in his throat, his first thought, _INTRUDER. _Breathing more deeply, his next thought was, _No. Vicki. _

He grinned. Five years ago, this could never have happened. Five years ago, he'd have his hands around her throat, preparing to tear it out.

No matter where she went, she bent thing. Rules. Lifestyles. People.

Vicki woke with a similar snarl, but her first thought was _No, it's Henry. You love him tearing his arms off would be bad. _She turned on her side to look at him, to see his head turned towards her. Fangs were extended, but the look in his eyes wasn't vicious. It was lustful. Before he could say anything, she said, "Down boy. We need to check on Tony."

Henry sat up and said, "Did I say anything remotely hinting at sex? I don't think so."

She looked at him. "You didn't have to," her silver eyes moved down to lock onto the erection that was tenting the sheets. "Your thoughts were screaming at me."

Before they could continue the conversation, they heard Coreen. "You guys wanna give me a hand out here. I've got Tony! I'm skinny and I need some help."

They threw on clothes and headed into the living room, each taking a side and helping Tony to the sofa.

"Guys! I'm not a baby, I can walk," the boy said petulantly.

"Don't pay any attention to him," Coreen huffed, "He's just cranky 'cause the hospital wouldn't let him have fourths on the Jello."

"Fourths? Well, I guess you are better," Henry said. "If you like, I can go get you some more. You can have all you want."

Tony shrugged, "You know I like Jello."

Vicki stopped Henry as he turned to get his jacket. "I'll go. I've something else I need to pick up. I won't be long."

Henry nodded, acknowledging her need to get the recorder without letting Tony and Coreen see anything.

"Any particular flavor, Tony, or just one of everything?"

Tony's face lit up, "One of everything would be cool."

Vicki stood in front of him, her thumb rubbing against his cheek, "Consider it done." She turned, then turned back around, her hand embracing his face again. "And if you ever do anything like this again, Henry's not the only one who'll vamp you into a nunnery."

She was out the door before he could reply.

Henry showed them into the living room. "So, what did you two do today, besides eat Jello and gossip?"

*****************************************************

Vicki sped up the side of the building, hesitating only when got to the top. Knowing what she would find, knowing what it meant, made her stop. She walked slowly over to where she and Henry had left Hurst the night before, looking for the camera, and found it quickly, her hands shaking a little as she opened the viewfinder. She had to watch, had to see for herself, that Hurst was gone for good.

Pressing play, she sat down on the roof, hunched over the picture. Amazingly, Hurst hadn't died immediately, and she got see the light go out of his eyes and her own silvered, fangs dropping as she quietly snarled in satisfaction.

Then the tears started and she couldn't seem to stop them. She was having flashbacks to the day they'd met at the Academy, the day they'd become partners. They day they became lovers.

The fights, the making up in bed, becoming the best the Toronto P. D. had in the way of homicide cops. His reaction to finding out she would be blind before she was forty. Her dismissal of him. His horror at what Henry was and his willingness to fight for her.

The last five years had passed so quickly that until one night, when they were laying in bed, she noticed something she hadn't before, or at least hadn't registered. He'd gone grey. She'd pushed the stray lock of hair away from his forehead and watched him while he slept until it was time to head to her sanctuary.

Then he was gone, and the rage that came consumed her every waking moment. If it hadn't been for Coreen, the one voice of reason, she'd have gone after Hurst blindly, and she'd be dead by now. Instead, she'd gone to Henry. Even long distance, he was there for her. Even with her 'issues'.

Her memories were rushing through her mind. She didn't remember being turned really, just remembered sleeping a lot until her leg healed. Then when it had, and they'd gone to Vancouver, she'd begun her lessons.

She smiled as she remembered Henry telling her, then showing her, how to hold someone's attention. How to feed without killing, how to make their prey come while they fed, or put the fear of every demon in the world into their minds. Eighteen months of learning, of making love all night, bite marks all over her body that healed while they were 'away.' Then the bond began to fade, and the territorial imperative began to try to take hold. Through sheer force of will she fought it. Moved back to Toronto to find Mike buried in a bottle because he thought he'd lost her and that had broken her heart. Even if she could have, at that time, she wouldn't have left him. Now, he was dead because of her, but he was also well avenged.

She watched as the sun came up on the video, watched as first his skin caught fire then his clothes. She smiled, her teeth shining brightly in the dark as she watched the heart she'd torn from his chest smoke, then burn, then become ash.

Vicki reached into her back pocket and pulled out something she hadn't shown Henry. A small picture of her, sitting with Mike in a photo booth, looking perfectly normal.

"I did as you asked, Mike," she said softly, tracing his features in the picture, "You can rest now and I'll see you one day." She put the picture back in her pocket, picked up the camcorder and headed back down the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, she walked back into Henry's condo, arms loaded down, "Who wants Jello?" Henry smiled at her and she smiled back, knowingly.

Tomorrow night would be soon enough to discuss the future.

Aftermath: Decisions

The four stayed up that night, talking, remembering Michael Celluci, both the good and the bad. The mortals ordered pizza and the vampires tried to ignore the smell. At some point, Coreen and Tony fell asleep, Henry and Vicki picking them up and putting in the two bedrooms. Gay or not, Coreen would not want to wake up next to Tony with smudged makeup.

By mutual, unspoken consent, they locked the two inside and took off in different directions to hunt. Vicki told Henry, "East of Mount Pleasant is fine. I'll take west." She had turned, then said, "I'm going by the loft too, so I might be a bit longer."

To cover, he bowed formally and waited until she was out of his sight, heading back inside. Shortly thereafter, he passed Greg and walked into the night.

Two hours later, he had returned to the apartment, well fed, with a smile on his face, imagining her reaction when she went into his bedroom.

He wasn't disappointed. Opening the door, he was greeted by Vicki, leaning against the door frame of his bedroom, shoeless but wearing the dress he'd bought her. He'd picked the color specifically to enhance her grey eyes, the cut of the dress to show off her always toned arms. Sea green, it hugged her frame, strapless, her pale arms glowed against the color.

He didn't know what to say except what he felt. "You're beautiful." Eight years he'd known her. One year together as vampire and mortal, one as teacher and student, six years apart with the exception of seven days. She'd changed the rules, as usual, and overcome every objection he'd made about why they couldn't be together, even though she'd come here and he'd stayed in Vancouver.

He'd resigned himself to her being with Celluci, but through the last years, they'd corresponded.

Email, fax, phone. Poor substitutes at best. He'd thought once, after she and Celluci had left, that he couldn't wait to see what she'd do with eternity. Now he thought he knew. They could be together, it would just take work and patience. He smiled. Just like a 'normal' couple.

"Well, are you going to stand there and stare at me all night, or keep your promise to take it off of me?" She dropped her arms, holding out one hand to him and before he thought about it, he was standing in front of her.

Nuzzling her neck with his mouth, he whispered into her hair, "You know I always keep my promises."

His arms picked her up and he moved them into the master bedroom, closing and locking the door. _No need for the 'kids' to walk in, _he thought.

Still nuzzling, his fingers moved to her right side, unzipping the dress slowly, as he kissed down to her shoulder. He could feel her blood moving faster, her pulse sang to him as he slowly moved the zipper down, his fingers replacing where it had lain against her skin. It was wonderful, being able to touch her, to feel her cool skin against his again. In all the years since Christina, he had loved, true, but never one of his own kind. Never someone who was his equal. She was far younger than him in the night, but she was, and always would be Vicki. His Vicki.

She felt his mouth against her throat, his fingers against her skin and felt warm even though she knew her skin was cool to the touch. She moved to touch him, wanting to get to his skin as he had gotten to hers. Vicki pushed his jacket off his shoulders, then took one long finger nail and hooked it just inside, "Mind if I tear the buttons off your shirt?" she purred. Fangs popped out and scraped across her shoulder.

"I brought a few extra," he growled, "Go ahead." She did and when her finger reached the last button, her arms reached around to his back, nails scratching lightly and the growl in his throat grew deeper. He reached the end of the line with the zipper and his hand moved inside, prepared to push away the panties he expected to find, but instead he found nothing but skin and he purred even louder.

She reveled in the fact that they could be this close, something they'd both thought for a long time could never happen unless there was massive bloodletting. Once upon a time, they'd been lovers, been in love in spite of the fact Vicki had never been able to say those exact words, until she lay on a floor in a lab, dying. Then everything changed. She changed and made him change with her.

His mouth moved on top of her, his tongue ventured in, careful to avoid the laser sharp fangs. He'd missed these lips, the way they fit perfectly with his, the way his hands could span her back, knowing exactly which spot would cause her skin to goose as he ran his fingers over them. He bent to his knees then, grabbing the dress by the hem and slowly pulling it off her body. She felt the silk move down over her already hard nipples and it sent shivers up her spine. His fingers followed the line of the dress to the inside of her thighs and his tongue licked as he said, "Open for me, Vicki, let me in."

She leaned against the wall as he finished pulling off the dress, watching the material pool on the floor, his eyes moving back up, watching her. Her legs spread and he struck, his fangs piercing the vein that ran down her thigh and he heard her snarl and dig her fingers into his hair. Sucking but a minute, he withdrew, licked the wounds closed and plunged deep inside her with his tongue, his fangs doing obscene things to her clit. She felt her knees start to buckle again and groaned, a human sound that made his cock push hard against the material of his pants.

Vicki's fingers punctured the plaster of the wall to the second knuckle as she came against his mouth, Henry licking all of her into him. He moved back up to her face, his mouth and chin shining in the low light and she purred as she reached down to get rid of his pants. The plaster dust on her fingers transferred to his face and hair as her other hand moved to his head and her leg moved up to wrap around him, pulling him into her.

As he entered her smoothly, her wetness preparing the way, she sighed then growled low in her throat, him filling her, his mouth moving to suck hers before his tongue entered her. He wanted to be in her, all over her, his scent marking her as his. As his rhythm increased, the friction did too and a long time later he moved away from her mouth and whispered in her ear again, but this time the words were, "Come now, Vicki, come with me."

For once in her life she did as she was told and one last almost violent thrust sent them over the edge together. As they stilled, she said, "So, you want to try this on a regular basis?"

He laughed low in his throat then bit her lightly at the spot just below her ear. "I think we should try."

The End of the Beginning.


End file.
